The format for 'Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway' was devised by an intern, former ITV executive Nigel Hall has revealed

Top TV producer Nigel Hall has revealed the format for the hit primetime show, which sees audience members vie to win the contents of ad breaks, was actually thought up by a "work experience kid" after he, Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly had arduously tried to think up a hit show for the duo to front.

Nigel recalled: "We're always thinking about the next big talent show, but who knows where the next great idea is coming from? We once sat in a room trying to come up with a big idea for Ant and Dec, and the work experience kid piped up and said, 'Why don't you let people win the adverts?' And that was the winning idea we'd been looking for."

The producer, who is global head of television for Simon Cowell's Syco production company, also revealed he was lured into working for Simon, 54, after finding success with ITV shows such as 'This Morning' and 'Stars in Their Eyes'.

He told Attitude magazine: "I loved him on 'Pop Idol' and I said, 'I think you're going to be a very big star.' And he said, 'I am going to be a very big star, so I'm not going to come and work for you, why don't you come and work for me?' "